


The Most Charming Thing

by Damalia (Achrya)



Series: Something In You I Believe In [1]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F, Language, M/M, Marco Bott and Ymir Are Related
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-25
Updated: 2016-02-25
Packaged: 2018-05-23 03:26:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,528
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6103264
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Achrya/pseuds/Damalia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Marco brings Jean home to Georgia for his sister's wedding.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Most Charming Thing

**Author's Note:**

> JeanMarco and Yumikuri (Bonus: cameo by Southern Belle Krista.)  
> Influenced heavily by the first time I took my husband home to meet my family and a bit by my family in general. I tried to ‘write’ the speech patterns I’m used to and…it was interesting?  
> Part of a larger series of things but should work fine as a standalone. /shrug

_“I heard he proposed.”_

_“That man is not marrying her, ya’ll need to stop.”  
_

_“Mmmhmm. She not even his girl for real.”  
_

_“Maybe I don’t wanna go to a HBC.”  
_

_“Why not? That’s what we do.”_

_“Lila stay a mess doe.”_

_“Tell me about it!”  
_

_“Don’t say that! Lila just…different.”  
_

_“Oh sweetie, no.”  
_

_“Marco’s different. Lila messy.”_

Marco snorted loudly. Miranda, his oldest sister, winked at him before turning back to face their cousins. The house was packed full and was going to be staying that way for the next week. Sigyn, another one of his older sisters, was getting married and everyone had shown up. Siblings, of which he had more than a few, cousins, aunties, uncles, nieces and nephews, grandparents, some people he didn’t know but assumed he was related to…everyone. 

Tonight was just a dinner so the two families could mingle and it was going well but that was to be expected. His mother had overseen just about everything even vaguely wedding related so it was all running like clockwork. The food was great for the most part, albeit a unique collection of everyone’s ‘best’ dish in their best casserole pans. He’d gotten Jean and Reiner to help him set everything up so, rather than a collection of haphazardly set up tables with lights wherever he could toss them, everything was nicely arranged, the tables set properly, the buffet table arranged in a way that made sense, and all the lighting (candles, outdoor lamps, and delicate looking fairy lights strung in the trees) looked great. 

Marco was still helping out, subject to his parents demands in the name of being good hosts, but from his spot in the kitchen he could hear and see the conversation at the large table his siblings, cousins, and friends were sitting around. Reiner was doing fine, talking animatedly with Marco’s brothers; this wasn’t his first trip so he knew how to keep up and get past the accents. It probably helped that Reiner’s family did things just as big. 

Jean however looked…confused, head whipping around as he followed one conversation for a moment then switched to another, blinking often. Marco felt bad about it, wished that Bertholdt had been able to get out of work to come down sooner, but he was resolved to make it up to his boyfriend later. He knew his family could be a lot under the best of circumstances and it wasn’t what Jean was used to. He’d never met Jean’s father and step-mother, wasn’t entirely sure he wanted to actually, but Jean made his family life sound very cold and stilted. 

The Bodt family was nothing like that. They talked loud and fast, hands moving constantly and personal space something you lost the right to as soon as you walked through the door. It had it’s downsides but Marco wouldn’t have traded it for anything. 

He gave Reiner a lot of shit for picking up strays and hard luck cases then taking them home and trying to fix them up (Bertholdt. Marco [Freshman year of college had not been kind to him]. Armin) but Marco was probably worse. (Bertholdt. Armin. Sasha and Connie. Jean.) He got it, for better or worse, from his mother.

His mother, and father, had been ‘adopting’ their children’s friends for the past thirty years. Everyone in the neighborhood knew that if you needed a place to stay or were fighting with your parents Mrs. Bodt was who you went to see. 

She was especially fond of Bertholdt. When she’d found out the Hoover’s had put him out in high school and hadn’t spoken to him since he’d half expected her to drive up to Virginia and confront a bunch of people she’d never met because of how angry she’d been. Now Bertl had his own stocking at Christmas and got gifts on his birthday and was expected for all major functions. 

_“Auntie Dee went to school in Maine.”  
_

_“Chil’ Boo.”_

_“Why even say that? I know you know Auntie Dee ain’t right.”_

“Marmar.” An arm wrapped around his back and a chin found a home on his shoulder. 

He rolled his eyes but let the nickname slide. Protesting would only make his twin get that much worse about it. “Hey Ymir. Where’s Krista?” 

“Talking to Mommy.” He could see her reflection in the window, face so close to his own that it was impossible to not notice the similarities. Brown skin, freckles, and thick curls, though Ymir was attempting to tame hers into a ponytail and Marco had long since accepted that the humidity was not working for him. “Wedding plans.” 

He jerked in surprise then turned around to face her, mouth open around a shout but she put a hand over his mouth. “Not yet. After Sigyn’s wedding.” 

She was grinning like she’d just won the lottery, or had the girl she’d been in love with for years and still seemed amazed to be with accept a proposal. He kept his mouth shut and settled for a hug that took her off her feet. Once she was back down, and swatting at him even though she was still smiling, he leaned back against the kitchen counter. 

“We’ll go out tonight.” 

“Of course. Drinks on you, right?” Her eyebrows waggled. “Oh. By the way, I like your little friend. He cute, if you’re into that whole ‘boy’ thing.” 

“You sound like dad.” Marco elbowed her lightly then, in what he thought was a fair impression of their dad, made his expression as flat as possible. “’Are you getin’ married? No? Den they your little friend.’” 

Ymir laughed and tightened her grip on him in a one armed hug. “Take your lumps like the rest of us.” 

“Yeah yeah.” He stuck out his tongue then frowned. “Did Jean seem okay? He’s not talking much.” 

“Takes time.” She made a dismissive noise. “Krista couldn’t get a word in until the third time I brought her over and I don’t think I’ve ever heard Sigyn’s guy say a single word. He might have ‘Little Friend’ status forever.” 

 _“Speaking of Marco,”_ Sigyn started.

Marco turned around to look out of the window again, eyes narrowed. He was completely prepared to run out into the back yard and tackle someone if any embarrassing stories started to be told. He’d already hidden all the pictures from his unfortunate ‘goth’ stage and his ‘I’m chubby and hate myself’ stage (vastly different from his current ‘kinda chubby and hot as fuck. Also humble.’ stage.)

_“Did you see that video of that show he did the makeup for last month? Everyone’s face? On point.”_

He sighed in relief. 

 _“He does a great job, everyone always says so.”_ Jean said, the first words he’d spoken since introducing himself to the masses. He had turned on the bench so he was looking at his sisters and, suddenly, he was smiling and his eyes were bright.  _“Did you know he just did a photoshoot for a local fashion magazine?”_

Like a flip had been switched Jean had everyone’s attention. His face went a little pink but, when pressed for details about the shoot Marco had dragged him along on in lieu of a real date, because sometimes he was a shit person and he didn’t know how Jean dealt with him, he answered. He even made it seem like it had been a fun time and not a miserable event out in a bug and manure filled wheat field. 

He even looked happy about it. 

Marco didn’t understand it at all. 

Ymir flicked him in the arm and when he glanced back at her she was grinning hard. “Look how proud of you he is _Marmar._ So cute.”

“Ymir, be nice.” Krista said as she stepped into the kitchen, hands on her hips. She looked flawless, per usual, hair carefully curled, dress wrinkle free and falling just right, pearls around her neck, and what he was certain was a new, and not unimpressive, ring on her finger. 

He was almost as confused about what she saw in Ymir as he was about what Jean saw in him. 

“And, honestly, Jean’s just the most charming thang, really. I think he’ll fit in just fine, ya’ll see.” She wrapped her arms around Ymir from behind when was close enough, uncaring that the taller woman practically blocked her from Marco’s view. “He talked about you a lot when we were setting up earlier and it was precious so no teasing. Don’t wanna scare him off.” 

His decision to not to tell anyone that they’d met at a club and that he’d been bent over a couch with Jean whispering the most filthy shit Marco had ever heard (seriously, the mouth on that boy) into his ear within two hours and that they’d just sort of stayed together after that had, perhaps, given his boyfriend a chance to come off a little more harmless than he really was.

He doubted any of their mutual friends would ever call Jean ‘precious’.  

“Sorry Sugar.” Ymir even managed to look contrite. 

“ _Sorry Sugar._ ” Marco mocked. Ymir shoved him. He shoved her back.

Krista sighed. 

**Author's Note:**

> [Click here](http://acharyadiako.tumblr.com/post/139922636430/because-ive-never-written-an-au-and-not-had-a) for more stuff about the universe this is set in.


End file.
